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There are reports that Iran may have, for the first time during the current U.S. military campaign, shot down a U.S. F-15 fighter jet with two crew members on board.
According to Axios, Iranian media and a source familiar with the situation made the claim.
What happened
Iranian media outlets have released photos and videos allegedly showing fragments of a downed aircraft and one of the ejection seats. Based on the images, the aircraft is believed to be a U.S. F-15 Eagle.
The exact location of the incident and the circumstances under which the aircraft may have been shot down have not yet been specified.
Two pilots missing
According to available information, search and rescue operations are ongoing at the site. The fate of the two crew members remains unknown.
First such case
If confirmed, this would mark the first time a U.S. aircraft has been downed by enemy fire since the start of the hostilities.
U.S. military officials and the White House have not responded to Axios requests for comment.
Iranian state media have reportedly announced a reward for information about the American pilots.
Background: what is known about the F-15
The F-15 Eagle is an American supersonic fighter developed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing) and introduced into service in 1976. It was designed as an air superiority fighter.
It can reach speeds of up to Mach 2.5 (around 2,650 km/h) and has a service ceiling of up to 20,000 meters. The base version is single-seat, while the F-15E Strike Eagle is a two-seat variant designed for ground attack missions.
It is considered one of the most effective fighter jets in aviation history, with over 100 confirmed air-to-air kills and no recorded losses to enemy aircraft.
Previous incidents
The United States previously confirmed the loss of three F-15E aircraft over Kuwait during the Operation Epic Fury. According to U.S. Central Command, the aircraft were most likely destroyed by friendly fire from allied air defense systems. All crew members survived.
In early March, an Israeli F-35 Lightning II reportedly shot down an Iranian Yak-130 — marking the first known instance of the F-35 engaging and destroying a manned aircraft in combat, according to the Israeli military.
